"The Worst Version Of Myself": What Went Wrong For Myles Garrett In His Los Angeles Rams Debut?
Myles Garrett’s quiet Rams debut raised questions after he finished without a tackle against the 49ers. The star defensive end later admitted he was focused on staying healthy as he dealt with a knee issue.
Myles Garrett expected his first game with the Los Angeles Rams to be a statement. Instead, the star defensive end left Melbourne with questions surrounding his health after a quiet performance against the San Francisco 49ers. Garrett finished without a tackle as the Rams fell 27-7 in the season opener. The result was disappointing on its own, but his comments after the game added another layer to the loss. Garrett admitted he was not at his best and revealed that staying healthy had been a bigger concern than dealing with San Francisco's offense.
Myles Garrett Struggled While Trying To Stay Healthy Against The San Francisco 49ers
Garrett entered the season under enormous expectations after the Los Angeles Rams acquired him from the Cleveland Browns. He was coming off a historic 2025 campaign in which he broke the NFL's single-season sack record, making his first appearance for Los Angeles one of the most anticipated moments of the opening week.
Instead, the San Francisco 49ers kept him quiet throughout the game. Garrett did not record a tackle and struggled to make the kind of impact the Los Angeles Rams expected from their biggest offseason addition.
After the loss, Garrett did not hide his disappointment.
Myles Garrett vs. Trent Williams
— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2026
Elite vs. Elite ????
SFvsLAR on Netflix pic.twitter.com/JmXNO7ufN0
“This was the worst version of myself that I've put out there,” Garrett said. “And I've got to be better. I've got to find a way to recover and get back to the player I know I can be and I've shown that I've been before.”
The comments were notable because Garrett had missed much of training camp and several recent practices while managing his knee. He did not reveal which knee was bothering him or provide specific details about the injury.
Myles Garrett Refuses To Make Excuses After His Los Angeles Rams Debut
Garrett later made it clear that his physical condition affected his approach against the San Francisco 49ers. Rather than concentrating completely on the 49ers, he was also trying to protect himself.
“I was a little bit more focused on myself and trying to stay healthy than what they were doing,” Garrett said.
That admission could make his recovery one of the biggest storylines for the Los Angeles Rams heading into Week 2. The team invested heavily in its defense, adding Garrett along with cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson.
The defense struggled badly as the San Francisco 49ers scored the final 24 points of the game. Los Angeles will now have to regroup quickly, with the possibility of Aaron Donald joining Garrett on the defensive line against the New York Giants.
For Garrett, though, the priority appears simple. He needs to get healthy and return to the dominant form that made him one of the NFL's most feared pass rushers.